Battle of the Bulge: Olecranon Bursitis

Olecranon bursitis, also called baker’s or Popeye elbow, can be a painless or an irritating condition involving the bursa located near the proximal end of the ulna in the elbow over the olecranon. Normal bursae sacs generally are filled with a small amount of fluid, which helps the joint remain mobile. The sac can swell under the soft tissue from overuse or when the area sustains an injury from a bump or fall.   Normal bursae are usually small, but they can grow to be quite large, swollen, and occasionally even infected when they become irritated or inflamed. The swelling is obvious because the space in this area is limited, and drainage of the fluid may be necessary. Physical examination of patients with uninfected olecranon bursitis demonstrates an annoying but supple lump on the posterior elbow; it is unsightly yet only minimally symptomatic. It may have even gone away by itself in the past. Infected bursae usually reveal a warm, red, quite tender, and painful bulge over the elbow with limited range of motion. Patients feel most comfortable in the flexed position and have difficulty extending their elbow because of the pain and swelling.   Most aseptic/sterile swellings are merely cosmetic and not especially bothersome. Many come from resting the elbow on a bar while drinking. Recurrences are common after simple drainage. Very red, hot, and painful bursae enlargement usually means gout or an infected bursa. Infected bursa must be drained and treated with antibiotics, a...
Source: The Procedural Pause - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs